Word Matching: Resume versus Position Description

I am a bit of a news junkie - and constantly listen to news and/or talk shows instead of music channels when in the car (insert groan here). I heard a recent news story about Wordle (see www.wordle.net). What caught my interest was the reference to job postings.

I did not like the advice that was implied in the story

The story talked about word matching - taking a position posting and using Wordle to determine which words were most prominent. It then recommended designing your resume for the posting. In essence, it said customize your resume to the job posting rather than having a resume that is designed for you/your skill set.

Not everyone is a fit for every job

The news on the job market continues to be neutral at best (and more commonly negative). That said, we continue to see senior-level positions cross our desk from multiple industries and functions. An example is a President search we are conducting in the technology-based consumables space (consumables used in the manufacturing of semi-conductors and solar energy areas). While not posted publicly, a quick Wordle review shows that there are certain words in the description that are more prominent than others. A resume designed for the job may be effective in getting it read; a quick phone-screen or simple Google search of the candidate may lead us to a different conclusion about the candidate (not a positive conclusion about who the candidate is/what he or she offers as a candidate). The net result - a time waste for all - and a potentially negative impression of the candidate.

Precision in search speeds things up

An old study on job finding concluded that a person who is focused in their search finds a job more quickly than a person who will look at any/all positions. Spending time 'customizing' a resume for every opening also slows a person down to a crawl. My 'humble' conclusion - be true to what you want to do and pursue openings that are truly a fit with the passion that has made you successful. Leave the other openings to people with the skills AND passion in those other areas.